Joker: Folie à Deux – Arthur’s Realization of Becoming What He Hated
In Joker: Folie à Deux, the psychological unraveling of Arthur Fleck takes a dramatic turn as he faces the realization that he has become everything he despised. Throughout the film, Arthur is struggling to maintain his identity, oscillating between his downtrodden existence as Arthur and the chaotic persona of the Joker. However, one pivotal scene—rooted in Arthur’s disillusionment—brings this conflict to its climax.
During a critical moment, Arthur witnesses the brutal death of a fellow inmate, which shakes him to his core. This scene serves as a catalyst for his rejection of the Joker persona. As he stands before a courtroom defending himself, he admits that the Joker identity was never truly his. Instead, it was an idea thrust upon him by the people of Gotham—a symbol that he inadvertently became but never wanted to embody. His realization is that adopting the Joker persona, which was supposed to give him control and power, hasn’t changed the oppressive system or the world around him. This bitter acceptance forces him to confront the fact that he, Arthur, has been living a lie.
In his final moments, Arthur reflects on his transformation and sees the monstrous figure he has become—someone driven by vengeance and chaos, much like the people and system he once loathed. This moment of clarity becomes tragic as he is rejected by both society and those he once cared for, particularly Lady Gaga’s character, Lee Quinzel, who fully embraces her Harley Quinn persona, leaving Arthur broken and defeated.
This scene underscores the tragic nature of Arthur’s journey, showing that despite all the chaos and violence, Arthur is left alone—betrayed by the persona he created and by the world around him. His fall is both literal and symbolic, as a doppelganger of the Joker takes over his identity in a chilling twist, highlighting the cycle of violence and madness that continues even after his death.
